Search - Vienna Teng :: Inland Territory

Exceeding expectations: A great example of American music.

Miguel Cunanan | Anaheim, CA USA | 04/14/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you'd like to express your identity as an American music consumer or would like to defend 21st century American music as authentic and valuable, I suggest you mention that you listen to and are a fan of Vienna Teng.



Clearly, judging by her sonic landscape, the San-Francisco native has been influenced by a gamut of musical ideas in her 30 years of life. In addition, it is clear that the ex-computer engineer has much expertise handling the delicate properties of music. Taking the form of a trilogy, Vienna Teng's newest album consists of three major sections, represented by a group of songs, each section portraying three territories of her life.



Her most mature album to date, Ms. Teng, efficiently balances each song with the experiences she's gained and benefited from her past three albums, which all still deserve a standing ovation. It is possible to expect that this album might contain a low-point or a dud because her past three albums have been works of wonders by a talented singer-songwriter. I feel that she has carefully crafted Inland Territory using all of the positives from her past albums, such as her knack for evocative harmonies, delicate yet soaring vocals, exquisite piano playing, and intellectual song-writing.



The instrumentation of her third album, Dreaming Through the Noise, received a few criticism due to it's overbearing weight over Vienna's delicate voice. The complaints are as follows: The strings are too heavy, there's not enough piano playing of Vienna, she needs to sing bigger. This time around, three tings happened in this album: The instrumentation is much diverse but miraculously evenly balanced, there's ample evidence of Vienna's beautiful and virtuosic piano playing, and her voice has matured to the point where she's got a whole new sense of control and artistry.



It is difficult to pin point which songs outshine others because they all stand equally, despite their sharp contrasts in meaning, significance, and sonic landscape.



Personally, the songs Antebellum, Grandmother Song, and Stray Italian Greyhound, resonate with my life more than the others but does not detract to the fact that the entire album is near masterpiece.



If you are like me, slightly overwhelmed with the dud-filled, bland, and slightly invaluable music being produced today, I suggest you take a second look at this album and this artist and judge for yourself what this album means to you and music itself.



Bravo, Vienna Teng, Bravo.

"

This Is It!

Splenitive | Michigan | 04/18/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Vienna Teng is one of the most gifted musicians out there today and her latest release is a wonderful addition to her library. If you haven't heard her yet, you owe it to yourself to do so. She has an amazing voice and she writes songs capable of taking you just about anywhere - from tears to joy. One of the songs on this CD is called "Grandmother's Song" and is a delightful, light-hearted ode to her grandmother's anxiety about her granddaughter choosing a music career over the safety of being a computer programmer (her original occupation). The music on this CD is so strong that I really hope mainstream radio catches on to her, and her grandmother can finally rest easy."

Even better than before

Kilerkki | Provo, Utah | 04/10/2009

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you've never heard Vienna Teng's rich blend of complex melody and gorgeous lyrics before, you're in for a real treat. If you have, you'll be delighted to hear that this album builds on the best of her prior works.



Vienna said it an interview that she wanted Inland Territory to sound like a mix tape, with smooth piano pop one song and a grand orchestral swell the next song and a loose folk tune the next. It's not a "mood" album the way Dreaming Through the Noise was, which, frankly, I really like; the songs sound and feel different, but each of them has the beauty of her song- and lyrics-writing and personality in them. She's done some terrific collaborations, too; I'm particularly in love with the harmony on "Antebellum" and the way it forms a solid baseline for Vienna's gorgeous voice. Slower songs like "Watershed" and "The Last Snowfall" contrast with rousing, toe-tapping tunes like "Grandmother Song," songs of heartbreak like "Antebellum" and of building hope like "Stray Italian Greyhound." Somehow it all forms a cohesive whole that adds up to one of the best albums I've heard in years.



I've been playing this album on repeat since I bought it, and I still can't figure out what my favorite song is; they're all just that good.

"